


If She Had Sons...

by acaciarosemasen



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Character Study, F/M, Gen, What if?, mentions of various members of the Black Family
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-05
Updated: 2019-08-28
Packaged: 2020-07-31 18:57:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,659
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20120053
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/acaciarosemasen/pseuds/acaciarosemasen
Summary: "My only son… my only son…" [Narcissa Malfoy]"You should be proud!" said Bellatrix ruthlessly. "If I had sons, I would be glad to give them up to the service of the Dark Lord!"What if Bellatrix Lestrange did have sons? Would she really be so willing to offer them up to her Dark Lord?





	1. Bellatrix Lestrange

**Author's Note:**

> What if Bellatrix Lestrange did have sons? Would she really be so willing to offer them up to her Dark Lord?
> 
> I’m not sure when I’ll next be able to update this as I’m mostly just writing it for fun or when an idea pops into my head. Also, obviously, this is AU. I’ll try to stick to canon where I can but there are going to be quite a few changes.

** _She crumpled, falling at his feet, sobbing and moaning on the floor._ **

** _“My only son… my only son…”_ **

** _“You should be proud!” said Bellatrix ruthlessly. “If I had sons, I would be glad to give them up to the service of the Dark Lord!” _ **

(Narcissa Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange with Severus Snape in _Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince_, chapter two: Spinner’s End).

* * *

She wasn’t quite sure how her life had come to this point.

Bella supposed she could blame Cissy – look how Draco turned out. She could blame Rodolphus for not taking a firmer hand in their lessons. Bella could also blame her blood traitor sister Andromeda and her mudblood spawn; Nymphadora Tonks, who married the half-breed, for their part in this. In the good name of Salazar Slytherin she could even blame the Dark Lord for daring to start the war of purification in the wizarding community. Bella could even blame herself for getting locked up for torturing the Longbottoms after the fall of the Dark Lord to little bitty baby Potter.

For all the people she could blame she would never ever be able to blame the two she loved above all else.

Yet Bellatrix still could not figure out how, as she made her way through and battled many on the grounds of Hogwarts, her life had come to this point exactly. How she could even be thinking that maybe, just maybe, Andromeda and Sirius and every other “disgraced” and “disowned” member of the House of Black had been right all along.

* * *

She knew exactly who she was. She was christened Bellatrix Druella Black, born into the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. Her parents were Cygnus Black III and Druella Black nee Rosier. She became the older sister of Andromeda when she was two and Narcissa when she was four.

From a very young age Bellatrix had been taught the ways of being a pureblood and more importantly what it meant to be a Black.

As a pureblood, Bellatrix was taught the proper etiquette when dealing with her equals, superiors, and inferiors. She was expected to be proper and dignified and to uphold the family name. Of course, Bellatrix was also expected to be married off to a pureblood – a rich and proper pureblood at that, not some blood traitor – and have and raise pureblood babies. As a Black, Bellatrix was taught that she was better than half-bloods and mudbloods. She was taught to want for nothing. It was drilled into her that to be a Black made her royalty in the wizarding world. Personally, she couldn’t disagree with this logic.

After she graduated from Hogwarts she was engaged to be married into the Lestrange family. Better yet, to the heir apparent of the Noble House of Lestrange. One day in the near future it would make her the Lady of an influential wizarding family. And that was all well and good in Bella’s opinion.

It was almost a year after Bellatrix had graduated that she was walking down the aisle to marry Rodolphus. Rodolphus… There were very few people that she cared about and even fewer that she loved. She cared about Rodolphus – he was her husband, though she didn’t start out caring for him – that had happened over time. She cared for her parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, and cousins. At one point in her life, Bellatrix had even cared for her younger cousin, Sirius. That was before he turned out to be a blood traitor and disgrace to the name of Black.

While she had cared for all these people, Bellatrix Druella Lestrange nee Black could honestly say she had only ever loved two people. Her sisters, Andromeda and Narcissa. When they were younger, Bella would play with them, dress them up and loved how they would look up to her. Of course the love that she had for Andromeda had turned to hate when her middle sister had betrayed the family and her pureblood roots by marrying the filthy mudblood, Ted Tonks. Narcissa, on the other hand, was the perfect pureblood. Her youngest sister had made a good and respectable marriage to the heir of the Noble House of Malfoy. Narcissa was the sister that could be counted on to make the right choices. The only one she loved.

That was until she had given birth to her firstborn son.

Bellatrix had never expected to feel this way. She who had tortured and had killed many in the short time that she had followed this new Dark Lord and had been branded as one of his Death Eaters, had felt something magnificent and terrifying at the exact moment that her sister placed the small bundle wrapped in blue in her arms.

It was unlike anything else she had ever felt. It was an overwhelming need to protect, and a rush of emotion so strong. Love. More love than she had ever felt for Andromeda or Narcissa. More love than what she had ever thought herself capable of.

Naturally, it scared the hell out of her.

Confused, scared, happy, proud, and honored was what she felt in the early evening of the 31st of March 1973; when her son, Ares Rodolphus Lestrange was given to her. Bellatrix had chosen his name; a constellation and the god of war. She thought it was suitable seeing as how they were in one and her son’s name would bring them luck in the oncoming battle against mudbloods and blood traitors.

While her sister cooed over her child, Bellatrix could only stare down at the baby in her arms and hold him just a little closer. She never thought she would feel any of these emotions for any other human being for the rest of her life.

Fate decided that she would.

* * *

After she gave birth to her first son, Bellatrix continued to fight for her master against all those unworthy to be in the presence of purebloods. She continued to torture and kill. And she liked it. The Lady Lestrange would appear to be unpredictable in battle. But really, she was just as cautious of her actions as anybody else. Bella was just better at hiding it; she had a son to think about after all…

Just over six years it had been, since Ares was born that Bellatrix suddenly found another bundle of blue blankets being placed in her arms by a four-month pregnant Narcissa. Just minutes after the New Year had reined in; she had given birth to a second son. Cygnus Rabastan Lestrange was named to honor her father who had passed a few months before and her husband’s only brother.

Like with her eldest, Bella found more love for the tiny being than her love for Narcissa or even that of her blood traitor sister, Andromeda. The same amount of love she had for Ares, she now had for Cygnus.

To think things had been going great.


	2. Longbottom Manor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Use of the Cruciatus curse / non-graphic depictions of torture (against the Longbottoms).

The Death Eaters were proud to work for their master. They fought to please him and to gain his favor and by extension his power. Despite having given birth twice in the years that she worked for him, Bellatrix was a favorite of the Dark Lord’s. She was one of the honored ones in the inner circle of his most trusted followers. Her dueling skills went unmatched; her vicious and vindictive tendencies were off the charts. Bella supposed it had to do with being born into one of the darkest pureblood families around.

The Dark Lord’s side was no doubt winning. Dumbledore’s Order of the Phoenix was barely holding them back. The Ministry’s Aurors couldn’t even hold a candle. Soon they would have had no chance at saving themselves and would have to submit to the evil “You-Know-Who” as they called him. The people were so afraid and fearful of him that they dared not to use the Dark Lord’s name.

But then this prophecy business had come up. One of the Dark Lord’s followers had overheard a prophecy being made to one Albus Dumbledore. This prophecy stated that a boy with the power to defeat the Dark Lord was coming. He would be born as the seventh month dies to parents who have thrice defied the Dark Lord.

Logically, she knew, her master would seek out this boy and dispose of him before said boy could defeat him with his power. With the boy gone no one would dare to hope for salvation. Dumbledore and his little birdy group would be finished. The war would be all but won.

Bella had never seen the Dark Lord so obsessive over anything as finding out who could possibly take him down. She wouldn’t have believed it possible – the Dark Lord was the greatest wizard in the world. He was not afraid to seek power and truly use it. It was discovered through a careful network of spies that only two boys had fit the description: Lord and Lady Longbottom’s son, Neville; and Lord and Lady Potter’s son, Harry.

When the Dark Lord had received the location of the Potter’s safe house from their good friend and secret keeper, Peter Pettigrew, he immediately set out to kill the boy (but not before rebuking “Wormtail” for not getting the information to him sooner).

From that night on all went downhill for the Death Eaters – Bellatrix Lestrange especially.

* * *

“AHHHHHHHHH!”

“NOOOOOOO! LEAVE HER ALONE!”

“AHHHHHHH!”

“STOOOOOOOPP!”

Bellatrix briefly lifted her wand from the trembling woman that lay at her feet. She turned towards the man who was also being tortured by her husband and brother-in-law.

“Stop? Oh, I guess I could do that… if you tell us where the Dark Lord is!” She smiled viciously.

“We don’t know… we don’t… AHHHHHH!!”

The woman who Bella had been torturing had started to speak after catching her breath but Bellatrix was having none of that.

“Well then I guess we can’t stop.” She cackled.

* * *

It was mere days after that Halloween night that Bellatrix found herself at Longbottom Manor along with Rodolphus, Rabastan, and Barty Crouch Jr. While the whole of the wizarding world celebrated the death of her master at the hand of itty bitty baby Potter, Bella knew he wasn’t dead. He couldn’t be dead. They would see. They would _all_ see.

She along with the three that were with her had searched for him. Unlike those unfaithful traitors. Her sister’s so-called husband being one of those said traitors. As soon as Lucius Malfoy was sure the Dark Lord was dead he immediately pled to being put under the Imperious Curse. As if. Nott, Crabbe, Goyle, Avery, Macnair… they all pleaded that they had been Imperioused. The fools. It only goes to show how undedicated and disloyal they had truly been.

Bellatrix had gotten the idea to find the Aurors and torture them for information. Surely they would know where the Dark Lord was being kept. This is how she and her colleagues found themselves at the residence of two highly decorated Aurors, the Longbottoms. Bella knew they wouldn’t have a lot of time. They had just barely managed to disable their wards. The group of four made their way through the grounds and quickly blasted their way through the door. And that’s when their _fun_ began.

* * *

“It would seem they have no care for themselves getting hurt…” A slithering voice mused from inside the darkened entryway of the first floor sitting room – where they were torturing their victims.

Bellatrix lifted her wand off of Alice Longbottom once more, not bothering to turn towards the voice seeing as she knew it was only Barty Crouch Jr. Rodolphus and Rabastan both did the same with Frank Longbottom. Unlike Bellatrix they both turned towards the younger man.

“Well what do you suggest that we do about it?” Rabastan asked gruffly.

“It would seem they have no care for themselves getting hurt but what if they were to see someone they care for, love even, enduring this torture.” Barty Jr. replied.

“And just how do you suggest we do that?” Bellatrix snapped still not turning around. “They apparently don’t care that their significant other is being tortured in front of their very eyes. What more can we do besides kill one in front of the other?” Bellatrix added with slight glee at the thought. It wasn’t a threat, simply the truth. Both of the Longbottoms weren’t going to live past this night.

“That probably won’t work.” Barty Jr. said. Rodolphus gave an impatient huff before speaking.

“Then as my brother asked, what do you suggest we do about this? We don’t exactly have a lot of time left to carry out our mission. We need them to tell us where our master is so that we can find and help him.”

“I am aware of what we must do.” Barty snapped. Taking a deep breath he stepped forward into the room. “They won’t tell us when we torture them but perhaps they will when we torture him.”

Before Bellatrix could even turn around to see just who Barty Jr. thought the Aurors Longbottom would finally crack for, both Frank and Alice were shouting and pleading.

“PLEASE! NO! MY SON, NOT MY SON!”

“HE’S ONLY A BABY, PLEASE DON’T DO THIS! PLEASE!”

“Cru—

Is as far as Crouch Jr. had gotten in trying to curse the Longbottom heir before Bellatrix had whirled around, crossed the room, and simultaneously pulled the baby from his arms and blasted him back into the wall with a flick of her wand.

“What in the name of Salazar do you think you are doing?” Rabastan shouted while Crouch Jr. was spluttering in shock.

Bellatrix didn’t bother to answer him as she looked at the baby in her arms – checking to see if he was alright.

“Bellatrix!” Rodolphus shouted. There was no mistaking that he wanted her to answer him. She looked up as if to give him her attention. “What do you think you’re doing? We have a job to do and you’re not helping the situation by letting your maternal instincts get in our way!” He growled at her.

While she did care for him, Bellatrix wasn’t one to just give in just because he was her husband. She was a Black. They did not submit to anyone. Throwing a vicious glare towards her husband she stated in an eerily calm but calculated voice, “I’m aware of what it is we need to do. However torturing the child will not get us anywhere. As it is we should leave now before we’re caught. I’m sure the Auror office as well as Dumbledore’s little birdy group was alerted once we broke through the wards.”

Rabastan and Crouch Jr. simply stared at her while Rodolphus shook his head.

“He’s close in age to Cygnus, isn't he?” her husband questioned knowingly of her.

Bellatrix sneered at him about to yell when the sounds of multiple wizards apparating onto the grounds of Longbottom Manor.

The four of them froze before Barty cursed, tried apparating out, and cursed again when that failed.

“They’ve put up anti-apparation wards!” He shouted at them then started muttering to himself about how he couldn’t be found out. Clearly he wasn’t thinking straight because there was no way they could have anti-apparation wards up that fast unless…

Rabastan turned to the fireplace and lit a fire with a jab of his wand, grabbed a pinch of floo powder, threw it in, and shouted out a safe-house destination before disappearing in seconds. Barty was quick to follow him shouting out a different safe-house. Rodolphus turned towards Bellatrix and told her to go to the Lestrange **Chateau** in France before he too disappeared into the flames.

Bellatrix, still holding the Longbottom heir, faced the Lord and Lady of the house. Frank and Alice were staring at her with wide eyes – tired, shaking, and looking like they wanted to pass out from all the pain that they had had to endure but… but they persisted in staying conscious. Their son was still in the arms of their torturer. Bella set baby Longbottom gently on the floor in front of his parents and backed up towards the fireplace not taking her eyes off the pair of Aurors. She whirled around and grabbed a pinch of floo powder and threw it into the fire calling out, “Lestrange **Manor**” just as she heard the sounds of many people running towards the sitting room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to keep the Longbottoms sane and alive in this. I think it makes it more interesting for future plot ideas…


	3. Lestrange Manor

Stepping out of the fireplace Bellatrix immediately called out for one of her family’s house elves. The head house elf had appeared and the Lady Lestrange immediately demanded of him her children’s presence and that he start packing a bag for her and her sons.

“Mother? What’s going on?” Ares asked worriedly upon entering the main sitting room, carrying his little brother in his arms. He may have only been eight years old, but he had always been an observant child and could sense something wasn’t right just from the manic look in his mother’s eyes.

“The ministry is going to come for me, your father, and your uncle. They are probably already looking. You know what we told you would happen if the Dark Lord was defeated. That they would come after us, that the Aurors would take you away from me and put you and your brother in separate orphanages to be raised by muggles!”

By the end of her short speech, Bellatrix was simultaneously reminding and scaring her son. Ares shifted his younger brother in his arms and quickly reassured his mother.

“Of course, I remember mother! I wouldn’t want me or my brother to be raised by such impure people.” Ares quickly placated his mother.

In all honesty, Ares wasn’t sure what the big difference was between wizards, witches, and muggles. Purebloods had the notion that only all wizarding families were the greatest and the strongest magic users but just like there were Muggleborns born to non-magic families, there were squibs born to all-magic families. Ares didn’t get it, but he listened to his mother and father – and his Uncles Rabastan and Lucius for that matter – when they were talking about the superiority of Purebloods and the traditions of their ancestors.

This reminded Ares of something he overheard his mother and Aunt Cissa talking about a few days ago.

“Why are you so sure the ministry it coming for you, mother? I thought you told Aunt Cissa that you would lay low for a little while…” Ares’s questions trailed off as he saw the look on his mother’s face change to one of obvious disdain for such a course of action.

“You were not supposed to be eavesdropping.” Bellatrix said with a raised brow.

“Mother what happened?” Ares daringly demanded. He never did so with his parents or any of his other family members, but he couldn’t help it. Dorney, the head house elf had appeared in his bedroom and told him that his mother wanted him and his brother down in the foyer and immediately started packing his clothes in his bag. To say the Lestrange heir was worried was an understatement.

Bellatrix sighed before walking over and kneeling in front of her sons. “Ares, your father and I, along with your Uncle and another follower of the Dark Lord decided to try and ambush some Aurors and find out what happened on Halloween night to the Dark Lord.”

“Mother!” Ares interrupted, “Aunt Cissa says he’s dead! Even Uncle Lucius believes so! That’s why he’s saying he was Imperious-ed!” Ares exclaimed.

“The Dark Lord is not dead!” Bellatrix shrieked at her son. Ares flinched away, shifting his baby brother in his arms protectively away from his mother. Ares knew his mother would never hurt him or his brother – she would be the first to curse anyone who pointed a wand in their direction, even against their own father – but the look in her eyes…

Bellatrix caught the flinch and immediately felt guilty for causing her beloved firstborn to fear her.

“Ares,” Bella softly called, reaching forward to grasp her son’s chin but Ares took a step away from her.

“You got caught, didn’t you?” Ares demanded, disappointment clear in his voice and eyes. “Of course, you did. Why would you be making the house elves pack us some bags if you hadn’t been caught.” Ares finished, shaking his head.

Bellatrix looked away before reaching out to her son. She gently grabbed him by his arm and pulled him towards her and grasped his face between both of her hands. “Ares. I’m sorry if you’re upset and disappointed that your father and I haven’t been around as much, but we’ve been doing all of this for you! For you and your brother! We want you to grow up in a world where you don’t have to deal with inferior witches and wizards.

Ares looked his mother in the eyes, and he could tell she was being sincere in wanting to provide her version of a good future for her sons.

“Unfortunately,” Bellatrix continued, “our plans have changed. We must leave tonight. We must get out of the country! The three of us. Now!” she explained to Ares.

Ares stared at his mom before looking down at Cygnus. He wanted to believe that his mother would make everything better. That leaving with her tonight would mean that they would be safe from the Ministry and all their problems would go away, but the eight-year old boy somehow knew that wouldn’t be the case.

Before Bellatrix could say more, Dorney the house-elf appeared before his mistress, informing her that there were Aurors on the grounds. Ares looked at his mother wondering what she was going to do. Bellatrix was tensed as if to fight anyone who came walking through her front door. She looked back to her sons and smiled a small reassuring smile.

“It’ll be alright my prince; I will protect you and your brother from them. I suppose I’ll give them quite a shock by sending a volley of dark curses at them.” Bellatrix mused as they could hear the shouts of the wizards and witches that came to capture her.

“Or you could surprise them by peacefully surrendering to them.”

Bellatrix whirled around to face her son, “What?” she questioned.

“If you surrender peacefully, maybe you won’t have to go to prison for that long.” Ares suggested.

Bellatrix laughed in disbelief, “It’s too late for that Ares. I have murdered multiple people over the years. If I peacefully surrender, then I’m going to be arrested and sent to Azkaban for the rest of my days! You will never see me again!” Bellatrix exclaimed.

Ares gasped as his mother admitted to killing people. He knew that she was working against the Ministry and Dumbledore, but he didn’t know exactly how she was doing that. Now he did and he was scared. His mother had killed people and would be going to Azkaban with Dementors if she was caught. The young boy didn’t know what to do but he knew that he had to protect his younger brother. His father told him that part of being an older brother was to look out for and protect his younger sibling. Ares got all kinds of lessons from his father with instructions on how to act as the heir to the House of Lestrange. But the lesson that stuck with him the most was about looking out for and protecting his brother. So, Ares would protect Cygnus even if that meant getting away from his mother.

Bellatrix had turned back to the front entrance and had her wand at the ready. “I’ll take care of them quickly and then we can leave.” Bellatrix told her son.

Ares shook his head and softly called for Dorney. He appeared with a small snap.

“Dorney,” Ares whispered, “I need you to transport me and my brother to Aunt Cissa’s house. Can you do that?”

Dorney looked worriedly at his young charges before sneaking a glance at his mistress.

“My father told you to make sure my brother and I are always safe. Staying here where Aurors are going to burst in spells flying isn’t safe for either of us.” Ares explained. Dorney looked back at his mistress before nodding his head determinedly at his young charge.

Bellatrix was aware of her son calling for the house elf but was concentrating on which spells she would use on the intruders so she wasn’t focused on what he was asking the creature but she was tuned back in immediately when she heard her son say that staying wasn’t in the best interest of her boys. Bellatrix whirled around just in time to see the head elf disapparate away with her sons.

Bella couldn’t believe it. Her sons were gone from her grasp. If she hadn’t been so concentrated on fighting the Aurors she would have been with her sons. She should have thought to use their house elves to escape. They would have been long gone before the Aurors could step foot in her manor.

“Dorney!” Bellatrix screamed. “Dorney! Get back here this instant! Bring back my sons! Bring them back you wretched little creature! Bring them back!”

The house elf reappeared a moment later sans her boys. “Where are they?! Where are did you take my boys!” Bellatrix demanded.

Dorney, eyes wide and wringing his hands, answered the wild-eyed woman, “Dorney took the young masters to a safe place. Dorney did what the Master told him to do.”

“Where. Did. You. Take. Them.” Bellatrix enunciated each word through her teeth.

The house elf flinched, cowering away from the woman, “Young Master told Dorney not to say.”

Bellatrix shrieked and wildly started throwing curses at the wide-eyed creature. Fortunately for Dorney, Ares knew that his mother would call him back to her and he ordered the house elf to deliver the message and then return to him and his brother.

Before any of her curses could hit the house elf he vanished from sight. The volley of curses she sent at him crashed into the wall across from her and caused quite some damage. Bellatrix stood still staring at the blast that disfigured the wood paneling as her mind raced at what her options were now.

Her own son had left her, she had somehow scared him away from her. Perhaps she shouldn’t have told him that she had murdered people? Bellatrix shook her head looking away from the wall. She could tell that the Aurors were closer. They’d be through those front doors any minute now. The question is what was she going to do? She could try and escape and find her sons.

The dark-haired woman tried disapparating away from the house, but she found that she was stuck. They must have put up Anti-apparition wards… which meant that they probably set up anti-portkey wards. Still, she created a portkey out of the candlestick holder resting on a side table and tried activating it but it was unsuccessful. Bellatrix paced the hall. She wasn’t getting out of here. They probably cut the Floo which meant she could fight, or she could surrender.

Normally, Bellatrix would have reveled in taking out as many of her enemies as she could, but she couldn’t bring herself to do so. She was tired. Bellatrix felt like all her energy had been taken away from her with the loss of her sons. She knew she wouldn’t win against the Aurors. If she fought, they would most likely kill her and then she wouldn’t have the chance to see her sons again. There was no doubt in her mind that the Dark Lord was still alive and that he would come for her. There was no way that he would he leave his most loyal to the Dementors. No, Bella would see her sons again one day of that she was sure. Besides, how bad can Azkaban really be? Bellatrix was born a Black – she was already insane. The wild-haired woman’s lip twisted upward, a sardonic smirk lighting up her face.

With that decided, Bellatrix turned toward the front doors in the entrance hall and conjured up a black throne which she gracefully slid into to await the dark wizard catchers who were on the other side.

Within seconds, the Aurors had blasted through and were charging in only to stop at the sight of the Dark Lord’s most feared follower. Bellatrix continued to smirk at the looks of confusion and distrust on their faces.

“Bellatrix Lestrange! You are under—”

“Arrest for the torture of the Aurors Longbottom and blah blah blah.” Bellatrix interrupted the lead Auror from speaking further. “If you’re going to arrest me do it! No need for you to waste your breath and my time.” The Lady Lestrange sniffed in disdain.

Bellatrix didn’t even flinch as they swarmed her and bound her magic.

* * *

Bellatrix looked around the crowded courtroom as she was brought in by the chains wrapped around her wrists and ankles. _Irritating._ There were dementors in front of and behind her – they were the ones holding control of the chains that bound her physically. _Annoying._ The icy chill the dementors caused deep within her bones wasn’t even combatted by a Patronus. _Petty blood traitors. _

Lady Lestrange scanned the courtroom, which had fallen silent as she was led through in chains, it was packed with wizards and witches that were no doubt there to see one of the biggest trials (and sentencing) since the Death Eaters had been rounded up after the Dark Lord’s fall. Various members of the Wizengamot were there and the general public including the reporters for the Daily Prophet and various other wizarding news outlets. Her brother-in-law, Lucius Malfoy (the coward's claims that he had the Imperious Curse placed on him had clearly been successful) was there. Thankfully, Narcissa was not. Despite it all she didn’t need Cissa to see this. Bella could only hope the Ares had taken Cygnus to her sister and that they were safe with her.

Her eyes caught upon Dumbledore’s shiny white beard before finally looking at who else was being tried for their crimes with her. Bellatrix didn’t react when she caught sight of her husband and brother-in-law. Her brow twitched when she saw that Barty Crouch Jr. was also standing with them.

_Guess that explains why Crouch Sr. is sitting with his wife rather than with the Wizengamot._

Finally, she was deposited in the chair to the left of her husband. The chains attached to the chair sprung to life and clamped down around her forearms, calves and waist. _Irritating and Annoying._

She shifted and positioned herself in a way that looked like she was royalty sitting on her throne. Her stance suggested she wasn’t uncomfortable at all and was relaxed about the whole thing.

Bellatrix didn’t even have to look at Rodolphus to know that he was angry at her. It was, after all, her fault they were caught. If she had just gone to the location he had told her to, the enchantments on said location would have obscured any travel destinations that the connecting Floo would have previously been and Rodolphus, Rabastan, and Barty Jr. would not have been caught. But she didn’t do what her husband had told her to and the other three were caught.

Lady Lestrange wasn’t all that surprised to find that she didn’t care.

* * *

The trial had gone pretty much as she expected it to go. The questions asked of her and the three on trial with her weren’t shocking nor hard to answer. The Wizengamot ought to really learn how to shake things up.

Bellatrix simply sneered at the lot of them.

The booming voice of Amelia Bones rang out – she had taken over as acting head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement for their trial with Crouch out of commission.

“Before we reach our verdict, we have questions about another matter.”

Bellatrix rolled her eyes. Who was she kidding? The only verdict they were going to come to was guilty. The sentencing was going to be a lifetime in Azkaban. They had the four of them dead to rights on all the charges. What more could there be?

Madame Bones looked directly at the only woman on trial. For a split-second Bellatrix thought they might ask her about her protection of the Longbottom heir. She was immediately relieved and confused when they asked about her cousin.

“What was Sirius Black’s role in all of this?” Madame Bones questioned, eyes staring intently into Bella’s own. Around her, the entire courtroom had grown eerily still. Looking around, it seemed that everyone from the Wizengamot to the observers in the gallery had leaned forward to hear what the answer she would give was. From her position she was also able to see that her brother-in-law look like he had been stunned – literally.

Bellatrix leaned forward in her seat, a tendril of her dark curls falling into her face, tongue darting out to wet her bottom lip before answering, “Sirius’ role in what?”

Her statement caused the tension in the room to rise, a smattering of whispers broke out before everyone fell silent on their own once more. Madame Bones raised an eyebrow as she stared at Lady Lestrange.

“Sirius Black’s role in the attack on the Potter family and the murder of Peter Pettigrew and the muggles who died as collateral damage.”

Bellatrix stared at the other witch before looking to those in the seats beside her. Her husband and brother-in-law looked confused. Even Barty Jr., who had looked terrified of his approaching bleak and dismal future had a furrowed brow at Bones’ question. Bellatrix looked around the courtroom once more – more specifically she looked over at her sister’s husband to see if she could find out just what this woman was talking about.

Which was no help at all. The blond’s face was still contorted as if he had been hit by a bat-bogey hex.

The dark-haired woman sighed heavily before collapsing back in her chair. She blew her hair out of her face and straightened once more in her seat.

“Listen carefully, _Madame _Bones, I do not know what you’re talking about. Speak plainly or do not speak at all. I do not care.” Bellatrix carefully enunciated through her teeth.

She could immediately see the contempt in the other woman’s eyes and the slight flare of her nostrils. Taking in a deep breath, Madame Bones started once more.

“When did Sirius Black start working for You-Know-Who?”

Silence reigned after the woman’s question. Bella blinked once, twice, and then a third before she burst into laughter. She was aware enough to notice that everyone in the room had jumped in their seat at her sound of her… merriment.

“That was hilarious! And here I thought that you had no sense of humor!” Bellatrix continued to laugh; head tossed back as she listened to this ridiculous statement.

More murmurs broke out and continued to rise in volume. Bella settled down as she watched the reactions around her. Rodolphus, Rabastan, and Barty Jr. were clearly bemused, the Wizengamot and the observers were all talking quite loudly. Lucius had pursed his lips as if he had tasted something sour – at least his facial expression had changed. Dumbledore and Moody were both staring intently at her, like they were trying to analyze what she said.

Shouts for order were issued while Bellatrix watched, amused. Even better, Madame Bones looked absolutely exasperated by the lack of decorum that Bella had caused.

_Good. I don’t intend to make this easy on anybody._

Once everyone had quieted down again, Madame Bones started speaking to her again.

“I fail to see how your cousin’s status as You-Know-Who’s right hand man is funny to you.”

The sneering smirk that Bellatrix had previously worn on her face vanished in an instant. She was surprised – and Bella did not like to be surprised – and incredulous but mostly, mostly Bellatrix was angry. She did not spend all these years rising through the ranks of the Dark Lord’s followers to be his most loyal Death Eater, only for her cousin to be called the Dark Lord’s follower, his number one follower. Especially since the cousin in question not only worked for the other side but he also made it known that he did not support the Dark Arts and basically rejected all their family’s ideals. It was maddening.

Entirely, completely maddening.

It was also quite baffling.

The ensuing explanation of Sirius’ actions and what happened the next day in that muggle street did little to lessen the confusion of those on trial. They had been so focused on trying to find their master that they had not thought of Pettigrew. Well… Bella did spare Pettigrew a thought or two… on how she would torture the rat when she caught up with him. It was he who had led their master to his doom. Even though she believed the Dark Lord wasn’t truly gone, something had happened to him… something that kept him from returning to his loyal followers.

Bellatrix looked around the crowded courtroom once more. Every single person in there was eagerly leaning forward. Bella shook her head as she tried to process the information. These people actually believed that her cousin had betrayed the Potters, had killed Pettigrew and a whole bunch of filthy muggles. She could let them believe that… Sirius would be sent to prison for a crime he didn’t commit and that was just fine with her. Pettigrew was dead so he wasn’t even an important factor anymore.

Except… except then Sirius would have the reputation of being a Death Eater… the Dark Lord’s most trusted… she couldn’t allow that to happen.

Bellatrix’s snort of derision echoed loudly in the courtroom. Shaking her head, Bella once again leaned forward, hair spilling over her shoulders, chains straining to hold her in place and stared straight into the eyes of Madame Bones. “I am the Dark Lord’s most faithful and loyal follower. Sirius Black is not the Dark Lord’s right-hand man nor is he a Death Eater. If my cousin killed that rat, Peter Pettigrew, it’s because Pettigrew betrayed the Potters and revealed their location to the Dark Lord. Pettigrew was not only the Potter’s secret keeper, but he was a Death Eater. He took the mark the day after he graduated from Hogwarts.”

At her proclamation, the courtroom broke out into pandemonium. People in the gallery were shouting and asking questions. Some were calling her a liar while others were saying they knew that Sirius Black couldn’t have betrayed James Potter. The Wizengamot members were also shouting but at each other. Something about a trial for her cousin…

Bellatrix Lestrange leaned back in her seat and watched it all with a disinterested air about her. They knew that Sirius wasn’t the Dark Lord’s right-hand man and soon so would the rest of the wizarding world. They would know that it was to Bellatrix that that title belonged to. The wild-haired woman found that that thought, that feeling wasn’t as… fulfilling as she had expected it would be. It paled in comparison to the other feelings she was doing her damnedest to keep at bay. She wanted to see her sons. She wanted to be with her sons. Bella had been so close to getting away. Taking them away from England and the Aurors. How did she fail this spectacularly for her own son to run away from her?

* * *

“Guilty all on counts. Sentenced to Azkaban for life.”

Bellatrix started laughing at the verdict and sentencing. She could not help it nor stop it.

Not that she wanted to.

She would never be able to see her sons again.

It was either laugh or cry and she would not cry, not in front of these mudbloods and blood traitors.


End file.
